Sergio García (+1) leaves the US Open at Pinehurst, the 25th of his career, with a bittersweet taste. The good things weigh much more than the bad ones, but complete happiness is not possible when he was so close to the top 10 and the qualification for the US Open and did not achieve them. Literally, the man from Borriol has missed the top ten by two millimetres, the ones he lacked in his birdie putts on holes 17 and 18. A pity. He worked hard and deserved it, but he had to settle for being at the gates.
Be that as it may, that setback in the classification is the only bad thing in a really positive week for Sergio. It has been a great US Open. In fact, it is his best Major since he won the Augusta Masters in 2017. More than seven years have passed. He finished in twelfth position, playing great golf and, above all, proving to himself that he still has the game and the mindset to see himself again on a Sunday involved in the fight to win one of these.
In some way, García has reconnected with the Majors. He had not enjoyed them for a long time and this week he has been seen almost like a child with new shoes. “It’s something I have to thank LIV Golf for, among other things, and it’s the fact of making me realise how difficult it is to play in these tournaments and that we should appreciate and value it,” he says in a curious reflection. It could be said that Sergio has regained his desire in Pinehurst. “I’ve been doing things well for many weeks this year, but of course, doing it here, in a Major, under such difficult conditions, tastes even better. I’m very proud of the week, although today the old Sergio has come out more, the one who thinks more about where not to fail than the shot that needs to be hit at each moment. That makes me angrier because the first three days were not like that and that is the way,” he says.
Sergio has started the round in a twisted way again. He signed three bogeys on holes 2, 3 and 4. Again, uphill and on a course where it is easy for the chain to come off and you end up touching the figure of 80. That’s why it’s even more meritorious. Thursday and Friday he played great golf and Saturday and Sunday, playing well but at a slightly lower level, he showed grit, courage and desire. The round could have gone down the drain, but Sergio held on. He recovered with birdies on 7, 12 and 13. He was even par for the day, one more birdie away from getting into the coveted top 10.
He gave his all to get in. He had a chance on 16 and two clear ones on 17 and 18, hitting two putts exactly as he wanted. “I read the putt on 18 very well. I knew it was going to fall a bit to the right, but my putt came out more in the centre and in the end it ended up escaping to the right. A pity and a lot of anger.”
The cross of the day was for David Puig (+11). He had a very bad day from the tee and the round became very uphill for him. He did not find good sensations at any time and ended up making 78 strokes. A bitter end to a sensational week, where he achieved the great goal of making the cut and getting into the Olympics. Puig values it, but is not satisfied. “Obviously the goal this Sunday coming from 20th place was quite different. I’m angry and disappointed, but that’s the way it is. It’s time to keep working, learning, improving and now thinking about doing well in Nashville,” he commented at the end with great maturity.
